Folding tray

ABSTRACT

Folding tray for use in conjunction with the seat of an automobile. The tray is supported by a pair of leg portions that terminate in hooks which engage the back of an automobile seat. The hooks swivel between extended, use position and retracted, storing position. They are also movable laterally to span the space between two bucket-type seats. The tray is supported by a single brace and is readily adjustable to varying heights.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Bette J. Rosner 6777 E. Pleasant RunParkway, South Drive, Indianapolis, Ind. 46219 [21] Appl. No. 882,963[22] Filed Dec. 8, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [54] FOLDING TRAY 1Claim, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 108/44 [51] Int. Cl A471) 23/00 [50] Field of Search108/42-49 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,299,827 4/1919Edwards 108/44 UX 2,289,945 7/1942 Wadsack 108/43 X 2,687,336 8/1954Smith et a1 108/44 UX Bell et a1 108/44 UX Garrison... 108/44 Richter108/44 X Lambert 108/44 UX Kost 108/44 UX Gramm 108/44 Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel Assistant Examiner-Glenn O. Finch A!!orneyWoodard,Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton ABSTRACT: Folding tray for use inconjunction with the seat of an automobile. The tray is supported by apair of leg portions that terminate in hooks which engage the back of anautomobile seat. The hooks swivel between extended, use position andretracted, storing position. They are also movable laterally to span thespace between two bucket-type seats. The tray is supported by a singlebrace and is readily adjustable to varying heights.

FOLDING TRAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the modern world of thequick-serve restaurant it is very desirable for the customer to have atray for the support of food and beverage in his automobile tofacilitate his consumption of it while in transit. By the same token, inconnection with the operation of drive-in restaurants it is necessarythat there be trays for the food and beverages served to and eaten bythe patron while parked in his automobile.

With the advent of modern turnpikes, extended automobile trips havebecome quite common. During these extended automobile trips, for bothconvenience and economic reasons, it is often desirable to eat and drinkboxed lunches while the car is in motion or while stopped briefly at arest center. This invention is concerned with a tray which is adapted toserve these ends. It is to be hooked over the back section of anautomobile seat in such a fashion that a convenient eating surface isformed adjacent to the passengers. It may also be used to span thedistance separating two bucket-type seats. In this use, one of the hookswill engage the back section of one of the seats while the other willengage that section of the other bucket seat.

The tray of this invention is particularly advantageous in that therelative height of the eating surface can be readily adjusted. Likewise,it is particularly advantageous in that all the components of the trayassembly fold in such a fashion that minimal storage and shipping spaceis occupied by the tray assembly.

As is mentioned above, trays for use in conjunction with automotivecomponents are generally known in the prior art. However, the vastmajority of them are disadvantageous in that either the structuralcomponents thereof do not fold upon themselves in such a fashion as toallow the tray to occupy minimal storage space, or the eating surfaceitself is not adjustable for height. The tray of this inventionovercomes these difficulties of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is concerned with a tray whichis useful in conjunction with an automobile seat. The relative height ofthe tray is readily adjustable. Likewise, all components of the tray areadapted to be folded back on each other in such a fashion that the trayoccupies minimal storage space. The relative height of the tray iscontrolled by a single brace. The hook sections used in mounting thetray may be adjusted laterally to widen their potential support area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side view of the tray inits extended, use position. FIG. 2 is a front elevation view thereof.FIG. 3 is a view of the tray in its collapsed, folded position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the Figures, thetray is shown generally at 10. It includes the vertically disposed,tubular legs 11 and 12. Connecting the legs as braces or crossbars aretubular sections 13 and I4. Together, the legs and the crossbars form arectangle. The section 14 carries a ferrule l at each end to receive thelower extremity of each leg in friction fit relationship. A rubberizedcap or tip 16 may be mounted on each ferrule to cushion it in the eventit touches any surface that may scratch.

The tubular section I3 is open ended to enable it to receive in slidingfit relationship the stub ends 17. The stub ends are press fitted orotherwise suitably mounted in elbows 19. The

lower extremity 18a of each hook I8 is received in a loose fit orswivable relationship within the same elbows. As a result of thisarrangement the hook members may be moved laterally to enable them to bemounted on rather widely spaced seat-back portions of an automobile,such for example as the bucket seat back portions of a sports car. Stillfurther, the hook members may be swiveled or partially rotated withinthe elbows to move them to and from the extended use position as shownin FIGS.

1 and 2 and the collapsed or folded position shown in FIG. 3.

The tip ends of the hook members may also be capped with a rubber cap 20to cushion any impact with a surface that shows scratches.

The tray 21 is connected by hinges 22 to a third crossbar 23 thatcarries at each end the ferrules 24. These ferrules are sized to receivethe legs 11 and 12 in sliding fit relationship so that the tray may bemoved upwardly or downwardly as desired.

A single tray brace shown generally at 25 is pivotally connected to thebottom of the tray through the medium of the pivot pin 26 that isjoumaled in the bracket 27. The brace consists of two telescopingmembers 28 and 29. A spring 30 is housed in member 29 and normallybiases the tray upwardly into horizontal, use position.

Member 29 terminates at its lower end in a ferrule 31 that receivestubular crossbar 14 in sliding fit relationship.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that the hooks may bemoved from their inwardly directed, storage position of FIG. 3 to theirextended, use position of FIGS. 1 and 2. By the same token, the tray maybe swung upwardly from its collapsed position shown in FIG. 3 to its useposition shown in the other two Figures. That position is maintained bythe action of the spring which will be of such compression that it willprevent the tray from departing from the horizontal as long as onlynormal loads are placed upon the tray in the form of food and beverage.Of course, when the tray is to be collapsed, that can readily beaccomplished by manually forcing it downwardly to its overcentercollapsed position of FIG. 3.

It will also be noted from the foregoing description that the height ofthe tray can readily be adjusted. If it is desired to lower that height,the telescoping members 28 and 29 can be relatively moved or adjustedwhereupon the stop element or ring 32 of conventional type may be movedto the desired stop position for retaining the two telescoping membersin that position. The action of the stop element is the same as that ona swinging screen door assembly.

What is claimed is:

l. A tray assembly comprising a frame, a tray and mounting elements foruse in supporting the tray from the back of an automobile seat, saidframe including a pair of spaced legs and a pair of spaced crossbarsconnecting said legs, said tray having means slidable upon said legs forvarying the height of said tray, support means connecting said tray andone of said crossbars for supporting said tray in any adjusted position,and said mounting elements include hooks swivably connected to the otherof said crossbars, and wherein,

said other crossbar is hollow at its ends and said mounting elementshave members slidable between different positions within said hollowends for varying the lateral reach of said hooks,

the swivel connection between the hooks and the other of said crossbarscomprises an elbow in which said hooks are mounted to swivel between useand collapsed positions and a stub shaft connected to said elbow andslidable between different positions within said hollow ends for varyingthe lateral reach of said hooks.

II I I! i

1. A tray assembly comprising a frame, a tray and mounting elements foruse in supporting the tray from the back of an automobile seat, saidframe including a pair of spaced legs and a pair of spaced crossbarsconnecting said legs, said tray having means slidable upon said legs forvarying the height of said tray, support means connecting said tray andone of said crossbars for supporting said tray in any adjusted position,and said mounting elements include hooks swivably connected to the otherof said crossbars, and wherein, said other crossbar is hollow at itsends and said mounting elements have members slidable between differentpositions within said hollow ends for varying the lateral reach of saidhooks, the swivEl connection between the hooks and the other of saidcrossbars comprises an elbow in which said hooks are mounted to swivelbetween use and collapsed positions and a stub shaft connected to saidelbow and slidable between different positions within said hollow endsfor varying the lateral reach of said hooks.